Karnataka : Veteran Congress Leader CM Ibrahim plans to leave party

CM Ibrahim, one of the most respected orators in the Congress, announced on Thursday that he is quitting the party

The party leader also stated that he would resign from the post of MLC if necessary. "I had to quit the party because I raised my voice on social justice," he said.

I have taken Siddaramaiah's gift with all the joy I can endure, because the Congress is a closed chapter for me.

In an attempt to express his displeasure about not being given leadership of the opposition, he stated.

We are like labourers. There is no option but to exit. There are also no permanent owners in Congress; all are labourers. I came to Congress after quitting JD(S) and leaving behind leaders like former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda with an intention of making Siddaramaiah, a backward class leader, the Chief Minister," he explained.

Ibrahim, a former union minister, planned the Padayatra to Ballary to oppose the mining mafia that propelled Siddaramaiah to become CM.

"I took Siddaramaiah to Badami when it was known he would lose Chamundeshwari constituency. In the Congress, Siddaramaiah has become alone, and is soon to realize that," he said.

According to sources, Ibrahim plans to join the JD (S) and is upset with the party's selection of former Rajya Sabha member B.K. Hariprasad as its Opposition leader in the Legislative Council.

Ibrahim has been invited by former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy to join the JD (S). Former CM Siddaramaiah has said he would talk to him.